


Oblivious

by allANN



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-14 17:33:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4573428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allANN/pseuds/allANN
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>About halfway through the dinner, Tobin was staring at Alex when Ashlyn nudged her. "Dude, you could be a bit more subtle," Ashlyn joked, quietly. </p><p>"Huh? What?" Tobin asked, having been completely in her own world. </p><p>"Your eyes?" She waited until Tobin nodded her to continue. "It's like they have magnets that force them to stare at Baby Horse."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys,  
> This is my first fanfiction. Let me know if there's anything you want to see going forward in this story. Thanks!

Alex smiled as Tobin tucked some hair behind her ear. The two made eye contact, and Alex almost winked at her, before Tobin spoke, "You had grass in your hair."

"Oh," Alex's face turned red. She mentally slapped herself for thinking the other girl was flirting with her. "Thanks," she mumbled.

As Tobin jogged away, Alex's eyes strayed to her butt and her calves. Abby noticed this as she approached from the other side of the small field, and cleared her throat.

Alex's eyes shot up to make eye contact with Abby. "What're you looking at baby horse?" Abby asked, smiling slightly. Alex's crush was clear as day to the older player.

"Oh, uh, Tobin was just getting some grass out of my hair," Alex replied quickly and a little bit defensively.

"That's not what I asked," Abby replied, smirking slightly as she jogged away.

* * *

 

 

After practice, Alex took her time getting to the locker room, not wanting to interact with Tobin after earlier. She had thought Tobin was flirting with her, but instead the other girl was just being courteous. Alex slowly made her way through the doors of the locker room, relieved to see it nearly empty.

She quickly showered. After changing, she was finishing putting her stuff in her bag when Abby spoke, "So you never answered my question."

"What question?" Alex played dumb.

"Come on, Al, you know what question."

"I was just making sure Tobin went back to her position," Alex claimed, after a moment of hesitation. Then the girl hastily exited the room.

"Sure, you were," Abby mumbled, following her.

* * *

 

 

When Tobin unlocked the door to her room, Megan was already laying on her bed, watching TV.

"Sup, dude," Tobin greeted her. Megan nodded in response. Tobin threw her bag in the corner and sat down on the edge of her bed. Her knee bounced up and down quickly, and her hands didn't stop moving.

After a few minutes Megan spoke, "Tobs?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

Tobin's head snapped up, and her eyes jerked towards Megan. "Uh, yeah, I'm good. Fine. Totally fine," the brunette said, stumbling over her words.

"Really? Cause you don't seem fine," Megan pushed a little bit.

Tobin was quiet for almost a full minute before she spoke again, "Pinoe?" Megan clicked the TV off, and turned towards Tobin, signaling she was ready to listen to her younger friend. "Do you, I mean, like, have you, probably in the past, but like, have you ever liked someone that you weren't supposed to?"

"I'm assuming we're talking liked as in romantically liked?" Megan responded, then continued when Tobin nodded her head in confirmation. "I think we always feel like we aren't supposed to like someone until we know they like us back, ya know?"

"Yeah, I guess," Tobin responded hesitantly. Then unsatisfied with that answer asked again, "but have you ever liked someone you know you can't like because if they knew you liked them, it would mess up everything? And not just for you, but for everyone around you?"

"Tobin, if I'm going to help you I'm going to need more details. There's a lot of indefinite pronouns being thrown around here." Tobin stared at the floor for a while before Megan realized the younger player wasn't going to respond. "Are we talking about Alex?" Megan questioned, gently.

Tobin's eyes frantically darted to Megan's face, "how did you know?"

"It's pretty clear to those of us who know you, which, of course, includes myself," Pinoe said, gesturing to herself.

"Is it that obvious? Wait, does she know?!" Tobin asked in alarm.

"Baby horse? She has no idea. That kid is the most oblivious person I have ever known when it comes to her own love life," Megan responded, reassuringly. Tobin let out a sigh of relief. "Tobs?" Megan began quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should tell her?" Megan suggested.

"What? No. Why would I do that? Absolutely not," Tobin vehemently refused.

"But Tobin-"

"No 'buts' Pinoe," Tobin cut the older player off sharply.

"Except for the one attached to you!" Megan said, in an attempt to lighten the mood. It worked as Tobin cracked a small smile.

"That was really bad," the brunette commented.

"I disagree. I feel that the comedic timing was prime," Megan maintained as she threw her arm around the other girl, walking out the door to dinner.

* * *

 

Over the next week of training, Tobin and Alex's intricate dance continued. The two unknowingly flirted with each other, and spent almost all their time together.

The team had been allowed to do a little light training on the beach that day to change things up a bit. Tobin pulled the blue pinnie over her head somewhat reluctantly. She was bummed that she wouldn't be on Alex's team, but she knew she had no choice.

The intensity of the game escalated as both teams were one point away from victory. Alex pulled her foot back to make the final pass when Tobin collided with her. The two fell to the ground, and Alex ended up on top of Tobin. The two stayed their for a second, Tobin's eye's flicking to Alex's lips, before Alex spoke, "sorry, Tob." The taller girl reached down to help Tobin up, and then quickly turned away as though nothing had happened.

Alex's game was slightly off for the rest of training, and Tobin's team ended up winning. As they all made their way to the bus that would take them back to the hotel, Abby called Alex's name. Alex turned around, and Abby beckoned to her. "Your game was off today," Abby stated, giving Alex the chance to explain why.

"Yeah, I know. I'll work harder, sorry," Alex replied, quickly.

"Alex, it's effecting your game now."

"What is?" Alex played innocent.

"Your crush on Tobin," Abby decided to get to the point.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Alex shot back, almost coldly, before storming away.

"Alex-" Abby started, beginning to follow the younger player.

She was stopped by Ali Krieger's hand on her shoulder. "Let me try," the younger player said.

"I know what it's like being blindsided by someone like this."

"Thanks, Kriegy," Abby sighed. "Could you try to do it sooner, rather than later? 'Cause it's starting to mess with her game, and I don't want her to lose anything she's worked for."

"Of course, Abs. I'll do it after dinner tonight."

Abby gave her a hug, "thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the encouragement guys. If you want anything specific to happen, just write in it the comments! Here's Chapter 2.

Tobin walked into dinner a little late that night. She looked around for the seat next to Alex that the forward normally saved for her, but was confused when she saw that Alex hadn't saved her a seat even remotely close to her that night. She walked over to sit in between Ashlyn and Pinoe, more hurt than she wanted to be that Alex hadn't saved her normal seat.

Pinoe looked at Tobin and quickly took note of the situation. "Eh, what's with the long face, man?" Pinoe asked. "You're sitting next to me! You shouldn't be able to wipe the grin off your face." Tobin gave a weak smile before going back to slowly eating the dinner she had just served herself.

About halfway through the dinner, Tobin was staring at Alex when Ashlyn nudged her. "Dude, you could be a bit more subtle," Ashlyn joked, quietly.

"Huh? What?" Tobin asked, having been completely in her own world.

"Your eyes?" She waited until Tobin nodded her to continue. "It's like they have magnets that force them to stare at Baby Horse."

"Wait.., what, no, no they don't," Tobin stuttered in defense.

"Okay," Ashlyn consented. "But it's not really up for debate. It's kind of fact at this point. You've been staring at her the entire meal."

"Really?" Tobin asked, hoping Ashlyn was joking.

"Really. Are you guys a thing? You kind of had a moment at the beach today," Ashlyn pushed, half smiling.

Tobin's entire face immediately turned red. "No. We are definitely not a thing," the girl, mumbled.

"So during the keep away game at the beach, when she was on top of you, and you looked like you were going to make out with her, what was that?" Ashlyn said, teasing the younger girl.

"I don't know. That's the whole problem. It's starting to mess with my soccer," Tobin confessed to the 'keeper.

"You should tell her."

"That's what Pinoe said," Tobin said around a mouth of broccoli.

"You told Pinoe first?!" Ashlyn gasped pretending to be offended.

"I haven't told anyone," Tobin emphasized the word 'told.' "You guys both guessed."

"Well, you make it kind of obvious," Ashlyn deadpanned.

"Whatever," Tobin dismissed her, flicking a pea at the older girl.

"There's the Tobin I know!" Ashlyn laughed, after catching the pea in her mouth.

* * *

 

 

After dinner, Ali knocked on Alex's door. Her roommate Sydney LeRoux opened it, "hey, Kriegy."

"Hey, Syd. Is Alex here?"

"Yeah, come in. She's in the shower," Sydney explained, stepping aside to let Ali walk past her.

After Ali spent a few minutes chatting with Sydney, Alex came out of the bathroom in a sports bra and shorts, her hair still dripping wet. "Oh, hey, Kriegs. What're you doing here?" Alex asked as she brushed out her hair, flicking everyone in the room with water droplets.

"I need your advice," Ali responded, wiping water off her face. Alex and Ashlyn were good friends, so it wasn't unheard of that Ali was asking for the younger girl's advice. "Go on a walk with me?"

"Sure, let me just grab a sweatshirt. See you later, Syd," Alex called as the two walked out of the room.

As the two walked along the boardwalk, Alex started the conversation, "so what's up?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you about you this time," Ali said, bumping her shoulder gently against Alex's.

"Okkkaaay," Alex drew out, unsure of what this could be about.

"Your game was a bit off today. Want to tell me why?"

"No," Alex replied, bluntly.

"Let me rephrase my previous statement. Your game was a bit off today. Tell me why," Ali gently demanded, giving Alex a look that said she wanted the truth.

"It was just a stupid game on the beach. It didn't matter. The coaches literally told us it didn't matter," Alex defended.

"When has that ever stopped you from being competitive? It was like you weren't even trying the second half of practice. Your head wasn't in it, why not?" Ali prodded, carefully.

Alex stopped walking and scuffed her shoe against the ground, "I wanted to focus, and I tried to, but I just couldn't."

"Why not?" Ali asked again, patiently.

"Cause shesopuktravive," Alex mumbled, quickly and quietly.

"You're going to have to say that again, slower and louder."

"Cause she's so attractive!" Alex exclaimed, refusing to look up from her shoe that was still busy scuffing the boardwalk.

"Who is?"

"Tobin! She's so fucking attractive! And I couldn't think after I fell on her!" Alex paused for a second to catch her breath. Ali stayed silent because she knew more was coming. "I don't get nervous around anyone, ever, Al. And I don't get distracted from soccer ever. I don't even like girls. I don't know what to do," Alex finished, dejectedly.

The striker collapsed onto a bench next to the two women, and tried to discreetly wipe away the tears that had formed in her eyes. Ali pulled Alex into a side hug, "you're okay. This is totally normal, Baby Horse."

"No, it's not," Alex insisted, still staring at the ground.

"Okay, maybe it isn't 'totally' normal, but it's not unheard of." When she didn't receive a response from the younger women, she kept talking, "I know how you feel, hon, and trust me, it'll all be fine."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. Thanks for the positive response. Let me know if you want anything specific to happen in the comments.

"You say that, but you have no idea," Alex snapped back, trying and failing to hold back her tears. She wiped angrily at them. "Just because your thing with Ashlyn had a fairytale ending, doesn't mean everyone gets that."

"You're right," Alex pulled away a little, surprised that Ali had agreed with her. "Before I told Ashlyn how I felt, I was in the same situation as you and Tobin."

"I can't tell her how I feel. She's straight! And super religious. If I told her I have a crush on her, she'd probably leave, and I'd ruin our friendship," Alex sighed.

"Remember when Ashlyn and I weren't together?" Alex nodded slightly, and Ali continued, "I wasn't going to tell her how I felt because I convinced myself that the risk of ruining our friendship was too big. Christie was actually the one to talk some sense into me."

"Really? 'Ma'?"

"I know, but during my third camp with Ashlyn, I cried myself to sleep most nights because it was so hard just being her friend. I was rooming with KO, who had no idea what to do, so she went to Christie. And Christie came into my room like the fifth night I was crying, and demanded I tell Ash how I feel. She said, 'not telling her is hurting you more than telling her. Sometimes it's worse for both of you not to know.' And the next day I told Ash, and the rest is history."

Alex smiled slightly at the memory of finding out Ali and Ash were official, "but what if it destroys our friendship?"

"When was the last time you had a totally relaxed conversation with her?"

"I, uh..I, we hung out two nights ago!" Alex finally exclaimed, relieved she had an answer.

"And the whole time were you thinking about wanting to hold her hand or wanting kiss her?" Ali probed, raising an eyebrow.

Alex's face immediately turned bright red. "I, well, we, I-" Alex just stopped talking and stared at her hands.

"Look, Al, I'm not trying to embarrass you, although I can't say it isn't a little fun," she interjected with a gentle elbow to Alex's ribs, "but that's not the way you should feel when you're with your best friend. You should be relaxed and able to be exactly who you are. Don't hide your heart from her." After listening to the sound of the water for a bit, Ali stood up, "Come on, we should head back."

Alex grabbed the hand Ali offered and pulled herself up. They walked for a while in silence before Alex spoke, "You're right. I have to tell her. Thanks, Kriegy."

"Anytime, Baby Horse," Ali replied, giving the younger girl a side hug as they walked into the hotel they were staying at.

They were waiting for the elevator when Tobin came out of the little shop on the lobby floor with some water. She was looking down at her phone and hadn't seen them yet. "Holy shit, Ali, what do I do?" Alex rushed out, panicking slightly.

"Talk to her," Ali replied, simply.

Just then the elevator dinged. Alex jumped in and pressed the close door button frantically. As the doors closed, Alex turned to Ali with a guilty face. The defender was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "I, uh, I'm not ready yet," Alex mumbled.

"Clearly," Ali smiled. As they stepped out on their floor, Ali turned to the younger girl, "Just don't wait forever, Alex. Cause a girl like her won't always be available."

Alex nodded, gave her a hug and a mumbled goodnight, and walked to her room.

* * *

 

Ali walked down the hall towards the room she was sharing with Heather O'Reilly. She was rummaging through her pockets for her room key when she heard a voice, "looking for this?"

She looked up and her girlfriend was leaning against the door to her room, holding a room key. Her face broke into an involuntary smile before responding, "as a matter a fact, I am."

She reached for the key, but Ashlyn held it high above her head. "What payment do I get for rescuing your key from the young 'uns before they played a prank on you?" Ashlyn asked, playfully.

"The young 'uns?" Ali cocked her head to one side in confusion.

"Yeah, JJ and Tobin and Cheney found it on the ground outside Alex's room, still in the little folder that says what room it's for," Ashlyn emphasized that last part.

A guilty smile immediately made its way onto Ali's face, "sorry."

"You don't need to apologize. I just worry about you," Ashlyn said, softly, leaning towards Ali to kiss her.

Right then, Heather pulled open the door, and Ashlyn who was still leaning against it fell into their room.

Ali was doubled over in laughter when Heather spoke, "I feel like I interrupted something..."

Ali helped Ashlyn to her feet, still laughing at her girlfriend. "No, not at all, don't even worry about it," Ashlyn grumbled as she kissed Ali's cheek, and then made her way to her own room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys,  
> Here's the next chapter. Be on the lookout for some drama soon! As always, thanks for the support.

On the last night of camp, the entire team decided to go out together. Alex and Tobin had yet to have the serious conversation they needed. In fact, they hadn't had a serious or deep conversation since the night at the beginning of camp where Ali had talked to Alex. The two girls were letting the tension between them get in the way of their friendship.

Tobin stood in front of the mirror in her fourth outfit change of the afternoon. Megan had watched the ordeal without commenting on the obvious reasons her friend wanted to look good, but enough was enough, "Tobin, if she likes you, it's not going to be because of what you're wearing."

Tobin sighed, a little embarrassed that Pinoe had realized what she was doing, "I know. I don't ever stress about what to wear. I don't know why I'm suddenly so aware of it."

"I know why," Megan whispered to herself, right before a knock sounded on the door.

Tobin frantically checked the time on her phone, "Pinoe we aren't leaving yet, right? It's not even 6 o'clock yet."

"No, we aren't leaving yet, but I'm bored of watching you stare at yourself in the mirror. So I've called for help," Megan said, opening the door and walking past the person standing there. "She's all yours. I'll be in Syd's room...I want to see what the stress levels of the other half of this sexually tense pair are."

Tobin's face turned bright red, as Ashlyn's laugh sounded throughout the room.

"Don't be a jerk," Ali's voice said, closing the door behind her as she and Ashlyn entered Tobin's room. "Hey, Tob, Ashlyn's here to help you dress to impress, and I'm here to supervise Ashlyn," Ali said, giving her girlfriend a pointed 'don't tease Tobin' look.

Tobin turned to Ashlyn somewhat annoyed, "You told her?!"

"She guessed, dude. Not my fault," Ashlyn responded as she started going through Tobin's clothes.

"You guessed, too?" Tobin asked Ali, weakly.

"Yeah, I did," Ali said, gently. "You stare at her a lot, Tob." Ali was careful not to say anything about her conversation with Alex because that was not her information to tell.

"No, I don't!" At Ali's look of disbelief, Tobin consented, "okay, fine. But it's only because she's been avoiding me for, like, two weeks now." After a moment of silence, Tobin added, "And because she's really pretty."

Ashlyn smiled at Tobin's comment, "I don't blame you, Tobin. I have the same problem," Ali began to turn to her girlfriend, ready to scold her for talking about another girl, Alex no less, when Ashlyn continued, "with my girl. She's just a really pretty," she finished, with a mischievous grin at Ali. Then she threw a short-sleeve button down shirt at Tobin, "put this on."

"It's purple, though," Tobin complained.

"It's lavender," Ali corrected, and Ashlyn rolled her eyes. "And if you don't like it why do you have it?"

"Alex told me to bring it," Tobin mumbled, pulling the shirt on, as Ashlyn made whipping noises in the background. Ali threw a pillow at her girlfriend to get her to stop teasing poor Tobin, who was already a ball of nerves.

Next Ashlyn threw a pair of blue skinny jeans at Tobin, and then pulled a pair of penny loafers out of the girl's bag, "Dude, sweet shoes."

"Thanks," Tobin responded, quietly. She slipped her feet into the shoes. "Do I look okay?"

Ashlyn bent down and cuffed her friends jeans just enough, "you look perfect. Tobin, are you going to say something to her tonight? Is that why your nervous about what you're wearing? For like the first time ever, I might add," Ashlyn wanted to know what brought on Tobin's sudden obsession with how she looked.

Tobin turned to Megan's bed, and sat down because Ali was already lounging on her's. "If the moment happens, then I'm going to say something."

"Good," Ashlyn smiled at her, reaching out a hand to pull Tobin up. "Let's go, guys! I'm ready to party!" Ali followed Ashlyn, and a very nervous version of Tobin, out the door laughing.

* * *

 

As the night went on, Alex and Tobin gravitated towards each other, as they always do. After Alex had some liquid encouragement, she had trouble staying away from Tobin. Right now, she and Tobin had gone to get a round of shots for the team who was sitting at a group of tables at the back of the club.

Tobin was trying to get the bartender's attention, when Alex stepped in. "Excuse me," she called, the bartender immediately turned around.

"What can I get for you tonight?" He asked, smiling at her.

"Could I get a round of shots for the three tables back there?" Alex asked, pointing to their team.

"No problem. I'll bring 'em over myself," he said, referring to the fact that he wasn't going to ask one of the waiters to do it. "'Cause then I get to see you again," he winked as he turned away to help another customer.

"He was flirting with you," Tobin pointed out, bluntly.

"Yeah, I flirt with a lot of people. It doesn't mean anything, it's just fun and friendly," Alex responded, nonchalantly.

"Do you flirt with me?" Tobin suddenly blurted out.

Alex looked like a deer in the headlights, and she took a second to formulate her response, "Yeah, sometimes I do."

"Does it, does it..mean anything?" Tobin stuttered out.

Alex was about to respond when her phone that she had placed on the bar counter started buzzing.

Tobin looked down at the phone, it read 'Servando' across the top, and the picture that was flashing on the screen was him kissing Alex on the cheek. Tobin answered her own question, "Obviously not."

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Could this be the chapter? The one where they finally get together...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next tidbit. As always, let me know of any requests in the comments. Thanks for the support guys. It's fun to write for you.

Alex watched Tobin walk into the crowd. "Shit!" She spat out. "Shit, shit, shit."

"Whoa, Al. Are you okay?" Abby asked, walking up behind her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," after a moment of silence, Alex corrected herself, "No. No, I'm not fine." Alex dropped her head into her hands, close to tears.

Abby scooted into the seat next to her, and rubbed Alex's back, lightly. "Tell me what happened?" The senior forward requested.

After a moment's hesitation, Alex began to talk, "You were right." Abby cocked her head to the side in confusion. "About Tobin. I like her, a lot. I didn't want to admit it to you 'cause then it would've been real, ya know?" Abby nodded at her to continue. "But then I talked with Kriegs a little bit, and I kind of realized that it's not really something that I can ignore or something that'll go away. And so I came to terms with it, but I didn't do anything about. Well, I did. I kept Tobin at arm's length this entire camp because I didn't want to ruin what we have. And now, after this," Alex gestured aggressively towards her phone, where a missed call icon had just lit up the screen, "She thinks I have a boyfriend."

"You're going to have to help me out. What is 'this'?" Abby asked, gesturing towards Alex's phone the same way the other girl had just done.

"Servando called. And KO and Syd were teasing me last night about Tobin, so, long and complicated story short, they set his contact picture to this," Alex explained, holding up her phone to show Abby the picture of Servando kissing her. Abby nodded in understanding, "So she thinks you have a boyfriend." "Yeah."

"Well, do you?" Abby probed.

"What?! No! I want Tobin!" Alex exclaimed. Abby smiled and raised her eyebrows in response to the younger girl. Alex immediately began blushing, and then tried to back out of the statement she had made so passionately, "I just, I..uh, she.., I-"

"Al?" Abby interrupted.

"Yeah?" Alex asked, weakly.

"I know you 'want Tobin,' as you so eloquently put it." Alex blushed a darker red. "I just wanted to make sure you knew how much you wanted her," Alex stared at her hands and didn't respond. Abby continued, "You should probably go tell her that before you lose the chance."

"Right now?" Alex asked, nervously.

"Yeah, right now."

"Okay," Alex swallowed. "Okay," she said again more confidently. "I'm going to go," she got up to walk in the direction Tobin went, then stopped and turned around. "Abs?"

"Yeah?" Abby faced the girl who had become like a little sister to her.

"Thanks. For everything. And sorry about yelling at you the other day."

"It's all good. That's what I'm here for, baby horse," she said, pulling Alex into a side hug. "Now, go get your girl." 

* * *

 

Tobin walked to the bathroom as quickly as she could, trying to subtly wipe the tears from her eyes. She ran directly into a body coming out of the bathroom, and looked up to apologize and met Carli's eyes. Tobin tried to push past the other middie. She wasn't super close with Carli, and she could barely keep the sobs from rising in her throat.

"Whoa, there," Carli said, grabbing Tobin before she could lock herself in the bathroom.

"Let go of me, Carli," Tobin hissed out.

Carli almost did let her teammate go because she was so shocked by the uncharacteristic tone that Tobin had used. But she managed to hold on, "come with me," and she redirected Tobin out the back door of the club, and into a quiet alley.

Tobin dissolved into a mess of tears and sobs the moment the door closed behind them. Carli wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't the one people normally went to in these situations. She held Tobin until the girl was breathing steadily again. "What happened? Did someone hurt you?" Carli subconsciously started checking Tobin for injury.

"No, no, I'm fine."

Carli sighed in relief, at least no one had hit her, "Tobin, you aren't fine. I don't think I've ever seen you cry like that." Tobin just stared at her feet, embarrassed she had broken down in front of such a senior player on the team. "Tobin, I'm going to need you to tell me what's wrong."

"It's stupid. And not really allowed," Tobin mumbled.

Suddenly, it clicked for Carli. It was Alex. The whole team was aware of the situation between the two girls. The intra-team dating policy was somewhat ambiguous with Ali and Ash being to only two to test it out, and they weren't publicly out. "Tobin, I'm want you to know that I'm not going to judge you, or get you in trouble. Is it Alex?"

"Oh my fucking god!" Tobin exclaimed, shocking Carli. Tobin never used the lord's name in vain, and Carli tried to think if she had ever heard the girl curse before. "Does everybody know?!"

Carli sighed, deciding honesty was a better policy here, "yeah, actually. Most of us have some inkling that there's something there."

"Well, I thought there was something there, too. But there's not, so maybe I should go tell everybody they're all wrong."

"Tob, can you tell me what happened?" Carli asked, gingerly.

Tobin sighed, then began hesitantly began explaining, "Alex was flirting with the bartender, and I called her out on it. And then she said she flirts with a lot of people, but it doesn't mean anything. So I asked if she flirted with me, and she said she did. So I asked if it meant anything, but before she could respond Servando called. And his stupid contact photo of him kissing her popped up."

It finally dawned on Carli what had happened. Alex hadn't yet deleted his contact information from her phone despite the fact that she had broken up with him months before this camp. "Tobin, they aren't together anymore."

"Really?! Tell that to Alex, who apparently still talks to him, and likes him enough to keep that God damn picture!" Tobin exclaimed, and then looked up in shock when she heard the sound of the door to the alley bang shut.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long. Here it is.

Alex was standing there with her mouth hanging open, "Did you just curse?"

"Yeah, and that's the second time in 20 minutes," Carli quietly answered Alex's question as walked towards the door to the club. "She's all yours. You better fix this," Carli whispered as she walked by Alex.

"I will," Alex said to the closed door. Tobin's poorly concealed sniffles finally motivated her to move. "Tobin?" Alex asked, quietly reaching towards her best friend and long time crush.

Tobin flinched away from her hand, Alex refused to let her hurt show on her face.

"Can you give me a chance to explain?" Alex asked again, keeping her distance this time.

"What is there to explain, Alex? You're with Servando. It's fine. It's my fault."

"No!"

Tobin finally looked up at the emphatic reply, and she made eye contact with Alex. Alex's heart hurt when she saw Tobin's red and swollen eyes, still watery with unshed tears. "I mean, no, I'm not with Servando anymore. I told you when I broke up with him six months ago, remember?"

Tobin nodded, and Alex took that as a signal to continue.

"I was hanging out with Kelley and Syd last night, and they changed the contact picture as a joke." Tobin knew Alex had to have Servando's phone number because they were still figuring out the financial details of their former home.

"But why do you still have that picture?" Tobin continued to be unconvinced.

"I didn't. Kelley did. She set the photo so that when you look at the page in my contacts, you can only see lips kissing my cheek. You can't see whose lips they are, see?" Alex turned her phone towards Tobin.

"Okay, but why?" Tobin didn't get it.

"Because they were teasing me about this crush I have." Tobin looked down again. She knew Alex didn't like her. She liked some other guy. "They changed the name of the contact to my crush's name, so it looked like they were kissing my cheek."

"Oh, okay. Thanks for telling me," Tobin tried to walk towards the door into the club. Now she wasn't mad anymore, she was just sad. Alex had a crush, and it wasn't her.

Alex caught her arm before Tobin could walk past her. "Tob, they changed the contact name to Tobin Heath." Alex watched the emotions run across Tobin's face in quick succession: confusion, understanding, hope, excitement, and then anxiety.

"Me? You like me?" Alex nodded. "It was supposed to look like me kissing you?" Alex nodded again. "Oh," Tobin said, before a highly charged silence descended upon the two girls.

"Tobin?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you, um, do you, maybe, I don't know, like me, too?" Alex asked, nervously. Alex watched the anxiety become even more pronounced on Tobin's face before the middie began to lean in. Tobin gave Alex enough time to turn away if she wanted to. Then their lips met. Alex was frozen for a second before she remembered how to kiss back."I guess I'll take that as a yes?" Alex asked.

When Tobin nodded in response, Alex leaned back in and swiped her tongue along Tobin's bottom lip, asking for entrance which Tobin gladly granted her. Tobin's hands found their way to the bare skin at Alex's waist. And Alex gasped at the feeling. She had never felt this way kissing any other person. Tobin backed Alex against the wall of the alley way, and pushed herself impossibly closer to Alex.

Suddenly the door slammed open, and Kelley and HAO appeared. Kelley started talking before she realized what was happening, "Guys, we're goi-. Oh. Sorry!"

Tobin and Alex jumped apart like they had been burned. Tobin stared at her feet, and Alex's face turned a lobster red. "Hi, Kel, HAO," Alex greeted them, weakly.

"Hi, Al, Tobin," HAO responded in the same manner, smirking. "Just wanted to let you two know that it's 11:30. For those of us whose brains may not be working super well right now because of more, umm, distracting things," HAO teased the two girls, who were shifting uncomfortably, "that's a half an hour from curfew."

"But HAO, they may not care right now," Kelley interjected, pretending the two weren't there, "seeing as they have more important things to attend to."

"We're coming," Alex finally found her voice. Heather and Kelley stood there expectantly. "Can you give us a sec?" Alex asked, after a moment of awkwardness.

"Oh! Right, sorry," Heather said, closing the door and dragging Kelley away with her.

"Tob," Tobin was still staring at the ground. "Tobin, can you look at me please?" Tobin's face finally tilted upwards. "We don't have to tell anyone right now."

"You don't want to?" Tobin said, confused and a little hurt. It took Alex a moment to figure out the way Tobin had interpreted her comment.

"No, Tobs, I would be so proud to tell the team with your hand in mine, but I don't want to pressure you to do anything you aren't comfortable with."

"I want to," Tobin said, with a small smile.

"Excellent," Alex pulled open the door, smiling, "after you, beautiful."


End file.
